“Ode to Chess” by Nhat Minh Le

Untitled

by Mya Johnson

I have to get good grades. I have to go to school. I have to pay attention in my classes. I have to pass my tests and do my homework. I have to make sure I have 85s and higher. I like getting good grades, but it’s stressful. I don’t like focusing on school, but I have to. I don’t like homework, but I have to do it. I have to be good. 49

50 Society expects a lot from us, especially me. You have to get good grades in school, and numbers determine whether you’re a failure or not. Award ceremonies congratulate those with good grades, but at the same time make people who don’t have those good grades feel bad about themselves. Whenever I went to those ceremonies and didn’t do my very best on something, all I would see is numbers and people going up to get their awards for doing well. I was below those students. It felt a

What lot more competitive than anything. I would often get Society stressed out about being called up even if I did well Expects on something. I just don’t like when there is a lot of of attention centered around me. It makes me feel You? uncomfortable, vulnerable too. But on that day, I didn’t get an award. As much as I didn’t like a lot of attention, I put in a lot by of effort but in the end, I received Mohamed nothing. I would mostly get “Most Improved” sometimes. On that Kebe day, a lot of people got awards and me and a few people got nothing at all. I felt dumb, and I felt destroyed. Since when did numbers and letters determine how you did on a test? To me, society also expects people who are not as social to socialize or else there is something wrong with them. For me, I don’t feel comfortable talking to